Out of control

By Mark S. Young

IN OCTOBER 1999, a local passenger train passed through a red light at
Ladbroke Grove junction and hit a packed express heading into London’s busy
Paddington station. Thirty-one people lost their lives. In the aftermath of the
crash, people were shocked to learn that British train drivers passed through
red lights on no fewer than 73 occasions that same month. It’s at times of
tragedy like these that we wish technology could step in whenever fallible
humans fail.

But are we kidding ourselves? Whether in our cars, at work or at home, many
of us just assume that technologies designed to take over during an emergency,
reduce our workload, or keep our hands free are a good thing. Our own research,
however, suggests automation should be approached with extreme care. Simplifying
a job or making it physically easier doesn’t always make things more
straightforward for our brains.

In recent years, researchers like ourselves have been looking at how
psychology can guide the design of technology, rather than just expecting people
to learn to cope with it. This is one element of the science of
ergonomics—and it’s already thrown up a few surprises. We’re finding that
technologies as diverse as hands-free kits for phones in cars and automation
systems for railways and aircraft, which are meant to reduce accidents, may do
nothing of the kind. At best they may change the nature of accidents. At worst
they could actually cause them.

Car manufacturers are getting in on the automation game—perhaps not
surprising, given that 90 per cent of road traffic accidents are attributed to
human …

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